Display apparatus



April 28, 1931.

R. M. CRAIG DISPLAY APPARATUS Filed Jan. '7, 1929 an we rm 1?. 1w. Craa' Patented Apr. 28, 1931 STATES 3101mm) M. CRAIG, or SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, AssieNon, isY- Mnsnn assrenmnnrs, 'ro

THOMAS w. -MENEFEE, or.;sAN- Anzromo, TEXAS- DISPLAY APPARATUS Original application filed December 29, 1925, Serial No. 78,248. niiridaa'na this application filed January 7,1929. seriar'mi. 330,934.

This invention relates to display apparatus and more particularly to a sign for advertising purposes of the type disclosed in my Patent No. 1,698,223, issued January 8, 1929, and of which the present application constitutes a division.

One object of the invention is to provide a sign having words or other subject matter painted thereon against a contrasting background and a lighting system for the sign which will cause the letters of the word to be individually displayed While the remaining letters are obscured and the entire word then disclosed, thereby giving the impression of first spelling the word and then pronouncing it. It will be understood that a sentence could be treated in the same manner and first displayed word by word and then in its entirety.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein is disclosed a sign and companion lighting system.

In the description, reference will be made to display surface and this term is intended to cover any surface of any character whatsoever upon which there is represented matter to be displayed and regardless of the character of the said matter. Where reference is made to light rays having different color characteristics the term is intended to indicate that the light rays are not indenti-- cally the same but possess such spectral or color difference between themselves as to suit the purposes of the invention. I will also refer to spectral colors and such reference applies to colors of the spectrum as represented by colored light rays. By pigment colors is meant colored pigments or the colors in which the images are represented on the display surface.

In the drawing, there has been illustrated an embodiment of the invention consisting of a sign board, the display surface of which is indicated by the numeral and a pigment of a distinctive colorsuch, for example, as red, is applied to the surface so as to provide a background 101 represented in such color. The advertising or other matter to be displayed, as, for example, the word Sporting is depicted upon the background area in White, as indicated by the numeral 102, the word extending longitudinally across the display surface. A number of'white light bulbs 103'a're arranged along the upperside of the display surface, each above a respective one of'the letters of'the word, and these light bulbs are preferably shielded, as indicated by the numeral 104, so that when energized the rays from thebulbs will be directed onto that portion only of the 'background'areaupon which the associated or respective letter, word or other portion of advertisingfmatter is represented. Green light bulbs 105 are alternated with the white light bulbs 103. The numeral 106 indicates a source of current supply,"andaconductor wire 107- is" led from this source of supply at one side, and connected elec'tr-i'callyto the terminals of all of the socketsfor'th'elight bulbs103 and 105. The numeral 108 indicates an automatic flasher of a conventional construction and comprises a disc 109 ofinsula'ting material havinga relatively long'arcua'te contact'strip 110 upon-its face and an arciiate series of -shorter"'contactstrips 111 likewise positioned upon its'face. The shaft of the flasheris indicated by the numeral 112 and supports an arnr113 designed, in the rotation ofthe'shaft, to sweep over the contact strips 110 and 111. A conductor wire 114 is connected to the other side of the source of current supply and to the shaft 112, and conductor wires 115 are led from the contact strips 111 to the other terminals of the sockets for the white light bulbs 103. A conductor wire 116 is led from the contact strip 110 and electrically connected by suitable branches with the other terminals of the sockets for the green light bulbs 105. In the operation of the flasher 108, the white light bulbs 103 are successively flashed so as to successively illuminate the portions of the background area which bear theindividual letters comprising the word to be displayed, so that these letters, as, for example, in the word Sporting, are successively momentarily presented to the view of the observer. As the contact arm 113 sweeps over the contact strip 110, all of the green light bulbs will be simultaneously lighted and, therefore, the entire Word will stand out substantially White in color against a black background. Therefore, the word is first spelled and then displayed in its entirety. The example given of this adaptation of the principles of the invention is, of course, an

extremely simple one and it will be under stood that much more complex arrangements may be provided, dependingupon the char-- I acter of the advertising or other matter which is to be displayed.

I have, therefore, provided a sign which will be very attractive in its appearance and hold the interest and attention ofv an observer.

'Having thus described the invention, I claim: I

1. Means for displaying advertising matter comprising a display surface having a background of a distinctive pigment color and bearing matter to be displayed having different component parts successively arranged, said display matter being of a contrasting color from said background, means for successively and individually illuminating the component parts of said display matter, and means for simultaneouslyilluminating all of said component parts with light rays of a spectral color in contrast with said background.

2. Means ter comprising a display surface having a background of a distinctive pigment color and bearing matter to be displayed having different component parts successively arranged, said display matter being of a contrasting color from said background, means for successively and individually illuminating the component parts of said display mat ter with white light and means for simultaneously illuminating all of said component parts with light rays in contrast with said 1 I background.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature. c

RICHARD M. CRAIG. 1 3.

for displaying advertising mat- 

